Namibian Helalia Johannes wins SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge in fastest time ever recorded in Africa.

SPAR Women’s 10km/ 5km Challenge

Durban, 23 June 2019

NAMIBIAN Helalia Johannes (Nedbank International) ran an incredible race in Durban on Sunday 23 June to win the SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge in 30 minutes 59 seconds (30:59), the fastest time over this distance ever recorded in Africa.

In doing so she also smashed the Namibian record for the third time in a matter of two months leaving junior international runner, 19-year-old Tadu Teshame (Ethiopia, Nedbank International), over one-and-a-half minutes (01:37) in her wake in 32:36 with former winner Irvette van Zyl (Nedbank) in third place a further 21 seconds adrift in 32:57.

Johannes added the Durban Challenge to the first two in the series of six races making up the SPAR Grand Prix, those in Port Elizabeth (May 4) and Cape Town (May 29), smashing the course records for these and also for the Durban Challenge course record of 31:38 that was set in 2000 by Colleen de Reuk.

The 38-year-old Johannes did not take long to assert her domination over the field of 14 751 runners after the start in front of the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium in Masabalala Yengwa (NMR) Avenue taking the Ethiopian junior Teshame and Van Zyl with her but gradually leaving them behind as she continued to dominate the race going through the opening first kilometre in 3min 05sec.

By the 3km mark Teshame and Van Zyl no longer posed her a problem as she swept along the Snell Parade alongside the Durban beachfront and headed south towards the Kingsmead Cricket Stadium racing through the halfway mark (5km) in 15:26.

Johannes appeared to be enjoying her entourage of motorcyclists from the Steelwings Club on their Harley Davidsons ensuring her a safe passage throughout the 30th anniversary of the race which was the first one of the SPAR races to be held in 1989 and which carried a prize purse this year of R30 000 to commemorate it.

Johannes said afterwards that she had revelled in the perfect conditions that prevailed over the fast, flat 10km course and that she was happy to have done a personal best time.

She said she was sure more records would follow, but that she did not have any set plans for the immediate future. “We’ll  just have to wait and see where and when I will be running again. I have been improving my times steadily.”

Runner-up Teshame said: “We all knew Helalia would go out front and set a fast place and so I was prepared for it but it was impossible for anyone running yesterday to beat her.”

Van Zyl said: “She (Johannes) has raised the standard of women’s middle distance racing in a matter of a few weeks. It will be interesting to see what happens with the last three SPAR Grand Prix races being held at altitude, in Pretoria (August 3), Pietermaritzurg (August 18) and Johannesburg (October 6).

“Whatever, with bonus points offered for getting times better than last year’s winner’s time, elite runners will not want to miss any of these races if they are to be in the running for the Grand Prix overall winner’s purse of R185 000 with the runner-up receiving R65 000 and the third placed runner R40 000.

A whooping R30,000 was raised for the race charity, Cancer Association with a cheque being presented at prize giving.

Results

Open:

1.    1. Helalia Johannes (Nedbank) 30.59; 2. Tadu Nare (Nedbank) 32.36; 3. Irvette Van Zyl (Nedbank) 32.57; 4. Glenrose Xaba (Boxer) 33.22; 5. Janet Mbhele (Umzimkhulu Striders) 33.30; 6. Caroline Mhandu (Maxed Elite) 33:46 7. Kesa Molotsane (Myrray&Roberts) 33.49; 8. Betha Chikanga (Maxed) 34.04; 9. Oliva Chitate (Maxed) 34.21; 10. Patience Murowe (Umzimkhulu Striders) 34.27

Junior

1.   1.Nare Tadu (Nedbank) 32:36; 2. Tayla Kavanagh (Hillcrest Villagers Athletics club) 36:23; 3. Dipulo Mashishi (Murray & Roberts) 38:05

20-39

1. Helalia Johannes (Nedbank Namibia) 30.59; 2.Diana Lebo Phalula (Boxer) 34:59; 3. Makhosi Mhlongo (Hollywood bets Running Club) 35:15

40-49

1.   1. Bulelwa Semai (Boxer) 38:36; 2. Elizabeth Dlhiwayo (Run walk for life Rustenburg) 38:38; 3. Janene Carey (Boxer KZN) 40:22

50-59

1.   1.Judy Bird (Murry & Roberts) 41:10; 2. Michelle Sims (PDAC) 25:28; 3 Maya Lawire (Boxer) 41:26

60-69

1.Olga Howard (Nedbank) 44:54; 2. Blanche Moila (Savages) 48:14; 3. Colleen Peens (Team Vitality) 49:31

1.  

70+

1.Jackie Davis (Savages) 55:55; 2 Gillian Tregenna (Wings Athletics) 01:01:48; 3 Getrude Lottering (Boxer) 01:16:42

Durban SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge celebrates 30 years on

Media Release

Durban SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge celebrates 30 years on

Entries are open for the much-loved Durban SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge, the race that started the now iconic national women’s running event, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year on Sunday 23 June.

The Challenge, has over the years, seen hundreds of South Africa’s top athletes, including a number of distinguished Olympians, take the honours. Many of the sportswomen who have appeared in the top three of the race, are written in the annals of SA road-running history, including the likes of Zola Budd-Pieterse, Poppy Mlambo, Gwen Griffiths (van Lingen), Carlien Cornelissen, Nicole Fuller, Tanith Maxwell, the Kalmer sisters –Rene and Christine, the Phalula sisters – Lebogang and Lebo-Diana,  Irvette van Zyl and Nolene Conrad to name a few. 

This list, of course, includes two Durban favourites, Blanche Moila, who has appeared in the top three twice, and Grace de Oliveira who won twice (1994 and 1995) and appeared in the top three four times. Both have run all races since its inception.

The inaugural event has come a long way since it began in 1990 with field of 2,200 when the now USA-based SA athlete Colleeen de Reuck won in a time of  34:16.  Fast track to 2018, where Zimbabwean-based Betha Chikanga shaved off 1:09 from that time, bagging the win at 33:07 in a field of close to 14,000 participants.

Historically, the race route has remained fairly consistent around the Durban beachfront and CBD. The record time is still held by de Reuck who clocked in at 31:38 in 2000, followed in 2009 by Rene Kalmer with 32:27 and in 1991 by Gwen Griffiths (van Rensburg) with 32:28.

“Over 29 years more than 330,000 women and girls, including a smattering of some rather enthusiastic men, have beaten a track around the City in a show of camaraderie, and spirit,” says Max Oliva, MD of SPAR KZN.  “We look forward to continuing this wonderfully, colourful journey with thousands more like-minded fitness enthusiasts for many, many more years to come.” 

This year the race route remains the same as last year starting off in Masabalala Yengwa Avenue opposite the outer fields of Jonsson Kings Park Rugby Stadium, which is also the finish. 

To celebrate 30 years on, SPAR will award the winner of this race R30,000, as well as the usual cash category prizes.  Elite runners participating in the SPAR Women’s 10km Grand Prix Series will be vying to increase their standings on the leaderboard. Currently Namibian runner Helalia Johannes (Nedbank) is in poll position having won the Port Elizabeth race on 4 May in a regional record time of 31.50 minutes.

Participants will receive a breakfast pack upon completion of the event, and are encouraged to remain after the race and enjoy the entertainment on offer, with some big lucky draw prizes up for grabs to mark the 30th birthday.

Entry fees are R145 for a 10km non-licensed entrant, which will include a temp licence, R120 for a 10km licensed entrant and R120 for all 5km entrants. Entrants for the 10km challenge must be 14 years or older and for the 5km must be 9 years or older on the day of the competition.

Entries can be done online via the race website - EFT payments close on 10 June and Credit Card payments close on 17 June. A manual entry option is available, subject to the limit of 15,000 not having been reached, at race registration  which takes place at Hall 6 at the Durban Exhibition Centre on: Thursday, 20 June and Friday, 21 June from 10:00 to 17:00 and Saturday, 22 June from 10:00 to 15:00. All entrants will receive a promo bag at race registration. 

To enter online or for more race information, www.sparwomensrace.co.za/durban. 

For more information like the KZN SPAR Women’s Race Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram.

ENDS